Changing Your Name as a Foreign National
You can change your name by deed poll in Northern Ireland without being a British citizen. The process is the same regardless of your nationality or immigration status.
Eligibility
To change your name by deed poll, you must:
- Be 16 or over
- Live in Northern Ireland
- Have the mental capacity to understand what you are doing
Your nationality, citizenship or immigration status does not affect your eligibility. Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland can change their name by deed poll on exactly the same basis.
How it Works
The process is the same as for British citizens. You apply with your current legal name and your new name, sign the deed poll in front of 2 witnesses, and use it to update your UK documents.
Our guide to changing your name in Northern Ireland explains the full process.
What Your Deed Poll Changes
UK Documents
Your UK deed poll changes your name within the United Kingdom only. You can use it to update all UK-issued documents and records.
This includes your eVisa, UK driving licence, bank accounts, HMRC records, NHS records, and UK employer records.
Home Country Documents
Your deed poll does not change documents issued by your home country, such as your passport, birth certificate, or qualifications. To change your name there, you must follow that country's own legal process.
Updating Your eVisa
If you have an eVisa, you can update your name on it using your deed poll. You do this through your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account, providing your deed poll as proof.
Visa Applications
Do not change your name while a visa application is pending. Complete any outstanding applications first.
Once your visa has been granted, changing your name should not affect your status. You must inform UKVI of the change, and keep records of both names.
For future applications, use your new name, provide your deed poll as proof, and include any documents in your old name with an explanation. If you are unsure how a name change affects your situation, speak to an immigration advisor before applying.
Applying for British Citizenship
The Home Office normally issues your citizenship certificate in the name shown on your current passport, travel document or eVisa. Your foreign passport takes priority over a deed poll when the Home Office decides which name to use.
The Home Office expects your names to be aligned across your foreign and UK documents. If possible, update your passport with your home country before applying for citizenship.
If Your Home Country Cannot Change Your Passport
If your home country will not or cannot change the name on your passport, the Home Office may consider issuing documents in the name you use in the UK. This is treated as an exceptional case.
You will need evidence that you cannot change your foreign documents, plus proof that you use your new name for all official purposes, typically your deed poll alongside bank statements, tax records, utility bills and employment records. Seek advice from an immigration advisor about the exceptions process.
If You Leave the UK
Your deed poll remains valid if you leave. You can use it to prove your name change from your time in the UK, though authorities in other countries may not accept it for their own purposes. Keep it safe; you may need it in future.
Updating Your Records
After changing your name, you update your UK records with each organisation directly. See our article on who to inform when you change your name for the full list.
Ready to Change Your Name?
Apply online and receive your deed poll by post within days. Each document is drafted to Northern Irish requirements, printed on parchment paper and embossed with a seal.
Once signed and witnessed, it is legally binding and guaranteed to be accepted in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.